Scope and Aims
The CISG-AC is a private initiative which aims at promoting a uniform interpretation of the CISG. It is a private initiative in the sense that its members do not represent countries or legal cultures, but they are scholars who look beyond the cooking pot for ideas and for a more profound understanding of issues relating to the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods of 11 April 1980 (CISG).
The CISG Advisory Council was founded on the initiative of the inspirational late Prof Albert Kritzer of the Institute of International Commercial Law in 2001. Prof Kritzer was at the forefront of the promotion of the harmonization of international commercial law with initiates like the CISG Advisory Council, the Institute’s database on the CISG and the Willem C Vis Moot.
Internationality and Uniformity
As an independent body of experts, the group is afforded the luxury of being critical of judicial or arbitral decision and of addressing issues not dealt with previously by adjudicating bodies. The Council is guided by the mandate of Article 7 of the Convention as far as its interpretation and application are concerned: the paramount regard to international character of the Convention and the need to promote uniformity.
In line with its objectives, the CISG Advisory Council is also committed to the multinational and multi-lingual character of the CISG. Accordingly the opinions of the Council is being made available in all six of the official languages of the CISG as well as a number of other prominent trade languages. In this the Council is well served by the international composition of its members.
Mode of Operation
In practical terms, the primary purpose of the CISG-AC is to issue opinions relating to the interpretation and application of the Convention on request or on its own initiative. Requests may be submitted to the CISG-AC, in particular, by international organizations, professional associations and adjudication bodies.
New Member
It is with great pleasure that the Advisory Council can announce that Prof Jean-Sébastien Borghetti
has been elected as the latest member of the CISG Advisory Council. Prof Borghetti professor of Private Law at the Panthéon-Assas Université, Paris where he teaches civil law, law of obligations, comparative law and judicial culture.. He is also currently one of the rapporteurs of the Council with the topic “Contractual Direct Actions". and the CISG”. Prof Borghetti provides a much needed perspective of the French civil law to the Council.
Observer Status at UNCITRAL and UNIDROIT
On 10 September 2012 the CISG-AC was granted observer status by UNCITRAL. This enables the CISG-AC to attend meetings of UNCITRAL and its working groups.
On 4 February 2015 the CISG-AC was granted observer status at the Governing Council of UNIDROIT. This enables the CISG-AC to attend meetings of UNIDROIT.
New Opinions and Declarations
The CISG Council has published 23 Opinions and 2 Declarations. The latest opinions are:
For a list of opinions currently under discussion see our Schedule of work page.
New translations
The Council also strive to make the Opinions available in other languages.
The following new translations are now available:
- Opinion 5 in Latvian
- Opinions No 20, 21 and 22 in Spanish
- Opinion No 1 (Revised) Spanish
New case law
The CISG Advisory Council Opinions have been cited in the national courts of 17 different countries in 118 published cases. The latest reported cases are:
- Netherlands Bunker Partner OU et al v Golden Arrow Olieproducten Amsterdam BV Rechtbank Rotterdam (District Court Rotterdam), 31 July 2024
(Case text (Dutch) - Netherlands Garage Door Systems LLC v Blue Giant Equipment Corp US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, 20 June 2024
Case text - United States Chilean Sea Bass Inc. v. Kendell Seafood Imports, Inc. U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island 22 May 2024
Case text - United States Garage Door Systems LLC v Blue Giant Equipment Corp US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, 20 June 2024
Case text - Netherlands […] v. Tarkett Sports B.V CourtRechtbank Oost-Brabant (District Court Oost-Brabant) 4 September 2024
Case text (Dutch) - Netherlands …] AG v. Insoluble Anode Technology (IAT) B.V. 30 October 2024 Rechtbank Oost-Brabant (District Court Oost-Brabant)
Case text (Dutch) - Portuguese clogs case Rechtbank Overijssel 06 November 2024 (District Court Overijssel)
Case text (Dutch) - China 13 February 2025 上海国际商事法庭 (Shanghai International Commercial Court) German-Chinese sales contract case
Case text
United States Composites GmbH & Co KG v. TPI Composites Inc. 25 February 2025 (DC Arizona)
Case text
Netherlands 12 February 2025 Rechtbank Gelderland (District Court Gelderland) Widebird B.V. v. 4wheel24 GmbH
Case text
Next CISG Advisory Council Meetings
The next physical CISG Advisory Council meeting will take in Lisbon, Portugal from 29 September 2025. The meeting will be held in conjunction with an international conference held by the Law Faculty of the University of Lisbon entitled 'CISG AT 45: NEW PERSPECTIVES'. You can downlead the conference program here.
Regular online meetings are also envisaged for 2025.
For more information contact the secretary Ass, Prof Milena Djordjević.